


Breathe

by weaselbee23



Series: Draco's shitty, but also not so shitty life [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Breathing Exercises, Draco is ten, Good Severus Snape, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Snape cares, Snape is Draco's godfather, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-10-04 13:25:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17305415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weaselbee23/pseuds/weaselbee23
Summary: Snape comes to visit the Malfoys. he notices that something is happening to Draco, and is determined to help the boy the best he can.





	Breathe

**Author's Note:**

> Again, I in no way support pedophilia. this is another vent fic/part of my series. there is no relationship between Draco and Snape, romantic or sexual. Snape is his godfather and wants to keep him safe. We stan a good Snape fic

As Severus Snape walked into the Malfoy garden, he was met with the sound of a child’s laughter. He turned the corner and saw little Draco running around the garden with Lily, the house elf. The two played in the sprinklers that were enchanted to spray them with water. So they made a game out of trying to dodge the water.

Lucius and his wife, Narcissa, were seated at a table, watching the two play as they discussed whatever topic they had deemed appropriate. They seemed rather invested in the conversation before Narcissa spotted Severus and tapped her husband’s shoulder.

When Lucius saw Severus he stood, a smile on his face. “Severus, you made it.” he greeted, shaking the man’s hand to welcome him. It had been years since Severus had come just to visit, aside from Draco’s birthdays. He always made sure to attend the party that the Malfoys threw for Draco.

“Indeed I did.” He replied, looking over to Draco. Draco was running in circles around the sprinkler, in swimming trunks and a tank top. He was laughing as he ran from the water, Lily on his heels. When the boy looked over and saw his godfather, he squealed and ran over. 

“Uncle Severus!” he exclaimed, hugging the large man. Their size difference, while reasonable considering Draco’s age, was still ridiculous as the raven haired man towered over the little blonde boy.

Severus didn’t mind that the boy was soaking wet from playing in the sprinklers. He allowed himself a small smile as he hugged him back. Though, his smile fell when he saw the bruises. The cuts. The scrapes. While Draco was not the most coordinated child, Severus couldn’t see him getting these injuries as the result of a nasty fall. 

Not when one of his blue-grey eyes was nearly swollen shut, and there was an indent of a crest from a ring etched into his pale cheek. Severus recognized the crest almost immediately. The Malfoy crest. 

Severus felt his stomach lurch at the sight of his godson. The boy still flashed him a genuine smile, and Severus couldn’t help but give him a small smile in return. His heart ached as he saw a good portion of the boy’s injuries as he ran off, playing in the sprinklers once again. He decided then and there that he would do his best to get Draco away from his father as long as he could.

Severus sat at the table with Lucius and Narcissa, looking over at the two. “I would like to offer a proposal.”

Lucius quirked an eyebrow and looked to Narcissa, who gave him a nod. “What kind of proposal, Severus?”

“I would like to take Draco to live with me for the summer. I can teach him while he is with me and prepare him for Hogwarts. Since he will be attending this coming fall. I can also speak to the headmaster about accommodations for his...identity.” Though Severus had always been accepting of Draco being transgender, he still was not used to terminology. But he did his best.

Before Lucius could protest, Narcissa replied to Severus. “That sounds wonderful. When would he leave to go with you?” she asked. Relief was visible on her face as Severus answered her.

“Today.”

Lucius looked between the two. “Are you sure about this, Narcissa?” he had to act the part of the concerned father, though in reality, he just didn’t want Draco to leave. Because then he wouldn’t be able to torment him for hours on end.

Narcissa snapped her head to look at him with slightly narrowed eyes. “Yes, I have made my decision. Draco is to live with Severus until his term at Hogwarts begins.”

Lucius gave a nod before standing, calling Draco over.

As the small boy ran over, he looked a bit confused. Maybe lunch was ready? The adults normally never called him over, talking about important adult things as they let Draco and Lily play in the garden. “Yes father?” he asked softly.

And Severus wondered when Draco had began to call Lucius his father, rather than daddy or some other childish form of the name. Draco had always hated calling Lucius his father, he said it made him feel uptight and old. 

“We have decided that you are to live with your Uncle Severus until your term at Hogwarts begins.” Lucius stated firmly, as if he was giving the boy no other choice.

Draco’s eyes lit up as he smiled brightly. Severus could almost swear that he saw tears of joy well up in the boy’s eyes.

“You really mean it!?” he exclaimed, excited about finally being able to leave the Malfoy manor. Excited about being away from his father. Excited about being safe. 

Narcissa smiled warmly at her son. Though she was glad that he would be leaving with Severus and would no longer endure his father’s torture every night, she knew she would miss him. “Yes, my love. You are to leave with him today.”

Draco let a tear fall as he choked out a happy noise, so overwhelmed with emotion that he couldn’t bring himself to speak.

“Breathe, Draco.” Severus reassured him, placing a hand on his back for comfort. Severus always knew how to calm him down, how to comfort him. It was all about the breathing. The boy had started having panic attacks at around age six, so Severus knew how to get him to breathe, and to focus.

Draco nodded and took a deep breath before smiling up at his godfather. “I’ll go get my stuff!” he exclaimed before running into the house once Narcissa had dried him off.  
After a moment, Lucius stood. “I’m going to go help Draco pack.” He announced before briskly walking into the manor. 

Severus stood quickly when he heard the door to Draco’s room slam shut. The boy’s room was just above the garden so no one had to strain too hard to hear Draco’s cries.

Narcissa quickly grabbed his arm. “I’ve tried many times. You just have to wait for it to be over.” She said grimly, looking down. “It only makes things worse for him if you try to stop Lucius.”

“How can you just sit by as your own son is beaten and raped by your husband? How can you do nothing, knowing that he is being abused!?” he seethed, eyes narrowed at the woman.

“That is why I called you here. There is no urgent news, like I said there was in the letter. I knew the moment you saw Draco you would insist on taking him.”

 

“And how long has this been going on?” Severus questioned, voice full of venom. He had no tolerance for abusive parents, nor the ones that sat by and did nothing as the abuse happened.

“Severus that isn’t the poi-” she started.

“How. Long.” he hissed, eyes dark with rage.

“Since he was five.” Narcissa answered, voice hesitant.

Severus stood once again and slammed his hands on the table. “You waited five fucking years to do something about this!?” he exclaimed, voice roaring with rage. 

“I tried to get him to stop, Severus. I really did. Please believe me. He needs your help, he’s just a boy.” Narcissa pleaded, desperate to get Draco help. She cringed as she heard Draco’s shrill screams echo from his upstairs bedroom.

“You’re bloody right he’s just a boy! And do you hear what is happening to him!? He is being tortured, and he’s just a boy!” Severus was furious as he paced beside the table, waiting for this horror show to be over. He needed to get Draco out of there, and fast. He didn’t deserve to face his father’s torment any longer, not that he deserved to face it to begin with.

Soon, the screams stopped and he heard the bedroom door slam shut again. Severus bolted inside and hurried up the stairs, pushing past a smirking Lucius. He would take care of him later. As he rushed into Draco’s room, Severus felt his heart break. Shatter, more like. 

Draco was sprawled out on his floor, naked and crying. There was blood all over him, as well as another fluid Severus felt too sick to acknowledge at the moment. There were old bruises as well as currently forming bruises, painted all over his small body. His leg was clearly broken, so broken that the bone was jutting out of his skin. 

Severus ran over to the boy and got on his knees, pulling Draco into his lap and holding him close after wordlessly and wandlessly repairing Draco’s leg. He held the boy as he trembled and cried, he held the boy as he wailed and nearly screamed from the pain. Both physical and mental, Snape supposed. 

“Breathe, Draco. I need you to breathe.” Severus ordered as gently as he could, not wanting to scare the boy any further.

After realizing that Draco wasn’t going to stop having a panic attack until after he left the manor, Severus mumbled a quick ‘Accio’ to Draco’s baggage before apparating them and the boy’s things to his own home. 

Severus stood and carried Draco around the house, telling him to watch as they walked. “See, Draco? That’s the painting you used to talk to when you would sleepwalk at night.” He pointed out, attempting to make the boy take in his surroundings. When hee saw Draco peek his head up, he continued. “Remember the time you sprained your ankle trying to race me down the stairs?” he asked as he turned so Draco could see the stairs. He did this about twelve more times, talking about a memory Draco had with a certain part of his house. 

As he lied Draco down on his bed, he spoke again. “All of these memories happened here, at my house. Not at your manor. Do you have any bad memories here, Draco?” he asked carefully.

Draco slowly shook his head in response.

“Good. just know that here you are safe and you are loved. Lucius can not touch you here.”

And with that, Draco began to cry. He wailed loudly between broken sobs as he managed to climb back into Severus’ lap, clinging to the man tightly. Tears raced down his pale cheeks as his bottom lip trembled. 

“Shhh...breathe, Draco. Breathe with me.” He then took in slow, deep breaths, getting Draco to copy him. 

As Draco fell asleep in his arms, silent tears falling from his eyes, Severus still saw the hitch in his breath everytime he breathed in.

“Breathe, Draco.”

Draco breathed in, then out. He wasn’t sure if he could trust this, believe what was happening. He didn’t know if this was even real. How could he be safe after all of this time? He didn’t know.

So Draco breathed. In, and out. In, and out.

He fell asleep right after feeling a soft kiss on his forehead.


End file.
